


Unfinished Business

by TheAzureFox



Category: Puzzles & Dragons X (Anime)
Genre: F/M, Gen, M/M, all these are unfinished, and honestly as much as i want to provide it, bc i know the community is always looking for content, but i still want to share with the community, my muse is dead right now for all the fandoms i'm in, so have unfinished fics
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-10
Updated: 2018-02-09
Packaged: 2019-03-16 02:35:38
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,760
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13626780
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheAzureFox/pseuds/TheAzureFox
Summary: (A collection of unfinished PADX stories)Round One: Ace defeats a god and pays the price.





	Unfinished Business

**Author's Note:**

> So I mentioned to SkyetheTsubaki about a whole bunch of unfinished PADX fanfics I have and she recommended me posting them here (even if they're still unfinished ;o;). 
> 
> Chapter 1 is the continuation of my other fic Shadowed Drops and while I don't think it's necessary to have read it I'm just gonna say that this chapter continues on from that one. I didn't add this part to it because, well, it's unfinished and I at least wanted to give it the feel of an ending however open-ended it may have been.

When it’s all over, a door appears from behind Ace. It’s the same one he had passed through to the chamber of the deity itself but, this time, instead of being opened for him to move through, others emerge from it.

King and Lance rush to him, standing on the edge of an otherworldly cliff. The fragment of stardust Ace stands upon descends towards them, moving rapidly through space and time. As they touch the ground, Devi leaps into Lance’s arms, the cosmic cat snuggling against the blond boy. Tamazo hovers over to King, gray eyes kept uncertainly on the man who had once raised him. 

“Is it over?” Lance asks, a hand moving swiftly over the top of Devi’s head. The cat creature offers a coo, pleased. Lance scoffs at the noise but offers nothing him but a smile. 

King nods. “It’s over,” Tamazo is taken into the man’s arms and the cat glances at Ace with hesitance, ears folded back as if in guilt. Ace sighs and pats the creature’s head.

There’s a sudden trembling of his knees and the boy collapses down. Instantly, both King and Lance hover over him. Devi and Tamazo are at his side, eyes of red and gray watching with alarm. Weakness overtakes Ace, a kind of energy that saps from his lifeblood until he struggles to stay awake.

“Ace? Ace!” the blond boy shakes him vigorously, hands clutched upon his shoulders. Lance stares at him almost pleadingly. “Don’t go to sleep! Stay with us!”

King is echoing Lance’s words through his despaired expressions, the man bending down with hands held hesitantly in the air. 

“Do not worry.”

All three humans and all two Tamadras look up to see a humanoid figure of starlight stand before them. Ace bristles, the energy he feels emanating from the deity enough to keep him on edge.

Eyes of black turn to him. The figure bends down and taps his heart with light-granted fingers. A feeling of peace washes over him, a kind of fever that relieves him of his pain.

“What did you do?” Lance snarls at the figure, shoulders up and eyes threatening with the power of the Dragonoids. Ace can see the illusion of wings spread from his torso, can see the appearance of blue horns that peek up from beneath a newsboy’s cap and skin that becomes charred with black. Ace grabs the one sleeve of Lance’s pants that isn’t rolled up and tugs, bringing Lance’s attention down to him. He shakes his head at the other boy and Lance, reluctantly, relaxes. 

“I’m fine,” Ace says.

Lance offers a look of disbelief but, upon prompting from King, backs down. The deity of light smiles a black smile, eyes of ebony settling upon each individual figure.

“Devi, Tamazo,” it murmurs, opening its arms to the pair of cosmic marshmallows. “Welcome back.”

Instantly, replicas of Devi and Tamazo emerge from the space of blackest night. They are figures of apathy, each staring upon the five with lifeless stares. They are but newborn stars, created from the world that this being lives inside. Devi and Tamazo look on in wonder, no longer afraid of the realm they are supposed to call home. There is a sudden flicker of emotion, a look of instant wisdom, and they race into the figure’s arms.

“Devi…?” Lance says, a hand reaching out.

“Tamazo?” King and Ace echo.

Both cats turn to them. “This is our creator,” Devi explains. “This realm, Ymir, is where we came from. Before we hatched, of course.”

“Here…?” Ace blinks, uncomprehending. He struggle back to his feet, steadied by Lance’s supporting shoulder.

Tamazo nods. “We came to Dragoza to solve the world’s crisis. King found me first and...when he died...well…”

Devi shook his head. “I was cast away by my previous owner. I found Master Lance by accident, when he was just made an orphan.”

Lance grimaces and King merely laughs. “Is that so?” the man says. “If I had known beforehand...maybe…maybe Gest could have...”

“No, Ace and Lance were always meant to save the planet,” the humanoid figure of the Terra God says, hovering over to the pair. It places two hands on both of their shoulders before turning black eyes to Ace. “You did well.”

“Thanks?”

“My anger has been resolved. You are all free to return to Dragoza. I promise, your home will not die under my hands.”

A door opens. King towards to it, dips his head towards the Terra God and makes way towards it. Ace follows, Lance pulling him along until the blond boy pauses and looks back. “Devi...are you...are you not coming with us?”

Ace looks behind him, noticing Tamazo and Devi staying at the feet of the figure of light.

“Tamazo?” he asks.

Tamazo shakes his head. “I’m staying here, tama. I want...No, I need to stay here. You can leave without me.”

Devi echoes his words. “There’s so much that I need to know. This is my home, Master Lance. I can’t leave from here, even if I wanted to.”

“But...you can’t! Devi!” Lance swerves around, forcing Ace’s weight with him. There’s a kind of anguish in the boy’s face, a desperate desire that pleads with the black cat. “You can’t go!”

Devi shakes his head back and forth, tears brimming. “You have friends now, Master Lance. You don’t need me anymore.”

“No, but-!” Ace musters up a moment of strength and grabs the hood of Lance’s cape just as he barrels forward. The blond boy comes to an abrupt halt, choking before he retreats with a spiteful glare in his direction. “Don’t stop me, Ace!”

“You can’t,” he tells the boy before wobbling again. All childish loathing that lingers in Lance’s eyes is vanquished by his pathetic movement. The boy props Ace up, reluctantly, and then looks at Devi.

“Are you...Are you sure?” Lance utters a plea, a cry of hope that his one and best ally, the one he had once regarded as his own, will listen to him.

“We’ll meet again, devi.”

And then, they disappear into balls of earth that are swallowed up by Ymir’s star-swirling darkness. Ace watches them go, reaching for the balls of light, but he restrains himself as Lance curls his hands into fists and stares at the ground, trembling. His blue gaze sweeps over the boy, his mouth opening to say something, but he is stopped as King shakes his head and pushes them through the door.

~~~

The other side of the door is a lush grassland of pillars and a singular crystal lake. The three of them emerge to a welcoming party of outsiders, all familiar faces that take one look at their condition and hurry to their sides, separating into parties that coo and chatter over their injuries. Rena and Sonia are the first to reach them, diving to King’s side as they welcome back with tears in their eyes. Haru dives forward and coils her arms around Ace’s neck as she knocks him to the ground. Charo, Garnet, Donny, and Tiger laugh at such a spectacle while Torlie offers him a hand. Eldora stands politely in the background as does Dafnes, the two woman overlooking the spectacle as Ana fusses over Lance’s frayed cape and Vahaton tries to make puns that force Lance to smile in exasperation. Sturgeon approaches both Lance and Ace, making some snips that fail to pass by Lance’s head. The boy responds with a three Water Drop combo flicked lightly in the boy’s direction. Sturgeon retaliates with a four Light Drop combo and it is Angene who ends up splitting them apart.

“You’re back,” Rena’s voice cuts through the masses - stating the obvious that has them all at attention. She faces Ace with a soft smile, tucking her arms around him and brushing her forehead against his own. “My boy, I’m so proud of you!”

He leans into the gesture, reassured to find himself in her arms. “Mom...I brought back dad.”

Angene steps forward at that, her gaze falling from Ace to King. Her eyes widen, a hand to her mouth as her calm expression crumbles into pieces. “King…?” she asks. “King...is that...is that you?”

The man in question nods, approaching Ace’s grandmother with a subdued nod of his head. Angene rushes forward, wrapping the man in an embrace much like the one Rena had given Ace. “Oh...God...King...I never thought I’d see you again!”

“King?” Ana peeks up her head from Lance’s side, leaning over the boy in her eagerness to get a glimpse at the man. “As in, the King I’ve heard so much about?”

“Watch it,” Lance grumbles as her hands press down on his chest, pushing him to the ground in a display unfitting of the Prince of Ice.

“Oh! Sorry!” the girl’s face flushes red and she pulls back, allowing Lance to regain a sitting position that is stiff in nature. “Won’t happen again!”

“It better not.”

Ana glares at Lance and he scowls at her. There’s a sigh from the rest of their party and a round of chuckles at Lance’s expense. The blond boy tucks his eyes behind the shadow of his cap, frowning.

“King,” the conversation swings back to Angene as she steps back to swipe at her eyes, trying (and failing) to hide her tears. “I...Welcome back.”

He nods, the only words left to say being the ones that are left unspoken. A silence settles over all of them, blanketing them in a moment of understanding. Then, as if everyone has accepted Angene as their leader, she nods her head and then beckons them forward. They rise, King and Rena hoisting Ace up while Ana offers Lance a hand. The two boys stand and watch as the crowd shuffles forward, meandering forward like a herd of cattle as they press behind it. Ace risks a glance at his friend, noticing the way Lance’s golden eyes are too distracted to enjoy the festive air that their companions are giving. So, he sneaks his hand to Lance’s side, intertwining their fingers and squeezing them in reassurance. 

“Hey,” he says softly. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine,” Lance responds with a huff. He tilts his head away. “I’m fine.”

Ace squeezes again and Lance squeezes back. There’s a smile on Ace’s lips and he nudges the boy forward. “Alright, if you say so.”

Lance follows his guidance, maintaining a stoic calm as they reach into the middle of the Dragonoid Village.

**Author's Note:**

> Extra line: "His blue gaze sweeps over the boy and, understanding, he says, softly: “It’s alright to cry.”
> 
> Y'all I love the ending scenes in the game so much and as much as I want to finish this I just can't bring myself to. My motivation works in strange ways and apparently I like to start things but never end them...*cries in a corner*


End file.
